Only a Dream
by NachoSammich
Summary: Sparring is all well and good. His fellow monks can hang out and bromance it up all they want.   But it's the middle of the night. He has to draw the line somewhere. Grand Master Xiaolin Dragons need their beauty sleep, after all.  Chase/Guan, Dashi's POV


**Title:** Only a Dream

**Rating:** PG

**Pairing: **Chase/Guan

**Contains: **Slash, implied future character death, implied AU, lots of headcanon, Grand Master Dashi being a goober. Past!fic, meaning that it takes place 1500 years ago when Chase was still good and Grand Master Dashi was still around.

**Author****'****s ****Comments:** Well, hello there FFNet. Long time no see. I haven't posted anything here in a while and I don't really have much to say about this, except that it was originally written as a get-well gift for a friend, and that there needs to be more Chase/Guan out there. Seriously. Why don't more people ship this? Anyway, on with the story. I do hope you enjoy. Please note that this is not beta'd, so any stupid mistakes are mine.

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><p>They're sparring again.<p>

The sound of spear meeting spear echoes throughout the grounds of the temporary Xiaolin Temple, accompanied by grunts and taunts.

"_Ha! You fight like a child!"_

"_You're one to talk, old man!"_

Laughter, and a few more teasing yells, and that's it. Dashi can't take any more of this.

Sparring is all well and good. His fellow monks can hang out and bromance it up all they want.

But it's the _middle__of__the__night_. He has to draw the line somewhere. Grand Master Xiaolin Dragons need their beauty sleep, after all.

Dashi rolls out of his bedroll and stands, grabbing a sleeping robe from his small pile of clothes on the floor nearby. He prefers to sleep in the nude, but it never hurts to be prepared. And it would just be stupid to walk naked into the middle of a sparring session between two seasoned warriors.

Of course, he _is_ Grand Master Dashi. He could take down a whole _army_ of Wuya's rock monsters naked if he had to.

…Hm. Maybe he should try that sometime. Could serve as a distraction. Gods know that Wuya ogles him more than enough with his clothes _on. _Creepy old hag.

He picks his way towards the temple courtyard in his bare feet, pulling the sleeping robe on as he goes. It's not hard - there's a full moon out tonight, and Dashi has _killer_ night vision. And no matter what Guan thinks, it has nothing to do with the Falcon's Eye. His vision really is that good.

Mostly.

The shouting and clanging gets louder as Dashi approaches the courtyard, and he rounds a corner just in time to see Guan hit the ground hard, Chase on top of him, pinning him down. Their spears skitter away, out of reach, but the warriors don't seem to notice. They struggle a bit, and Dashi can't make out their faces from where he's standing, but he can guess that they're both grinning widely, despite their mock-fight.

'_Really,__'_ he thinks, watching his two closest friends wrestle on the ground like children, _'__am__I__the__only__one__who__sees__it?__'_

He clears his throat, but they don't hear him. They continue to roll around the courtyard, no longer trading insults. They are both entirely focused on coming out on top.

Dashi rolls his eyes. Honestly, if he weren't around…!

"Hey!" he barks, and this time they hear him, springing apart immediately and glancing up with looks of surprise.

"Oh, hello, Dashi!" Chase greets him, getting to his feet. "Have you come to join us?"

"No." Dashi crosses his arms and gives Chase and Guan his best Disapproving Stare (TM). "Do you chuckleheads have any idea what _time_ it is? I was trying to _sleep_. Can't you have your sparring lovefests during the day, like _sane_ people?"

Chase has the decency to look ashamed. "My apologies, Dashi. We didn't mean to wake you."

"Yeah, well, just try to keep it down. Some people actually like to sleep at night, you know?"

"You've never seemed to care about the time of day before," Chase reminds him teasingly. "You sleep whenever and wherever you want."

"Lazy bum that you are," Guan adds from his spot on the ground. He's arranged himself into a seated lotus position, and seems quite content to remain there, with his long braid just barely brushing the ground.

"Hey, hey, not lazy! I just need my beauty sleep."

"You certainly do." Guan's eyebrows are raised slightly, his mouth curved into a small smile. In Guan-speak, he might as well be rolling on the ground with laughter. "I must say that you need all the help you can get in that respect, my friend."

"Now that was just uncalled for," Dashi mock-pouts. "Besides, you're just jealous of my gorgeous body."

Guan makes a strangled noise. "Most certainly not!"

Dashi hears a sound from Chase that sounds a lot like a muffled snicker, and he presses on. "Aw, come on, Guan. No use denying it. Everyone wants a piece of this." He strikes an exaggerated pose, flexing his muscles in a most melodramatic way.

"I do not." Guan sits rigidly, though Dashi can see the smile lurking around the crease of his borw and the corner of his mouth.

"You're no fun." He throws his hands into the air. "Come on, guys. I'm beautiful."

"What's that phrase Dojo is so fond of throwing around? Oh, right. In your dreams!"

This last from Chase, who looks very pleased with himself.

"Sheesh, everyone's a critic!" Dashi scoffs. "Fine. I don't have to take this. I'm going back to bed." He turns around and stalks away, very melodramatically. He can hear Chase stifling another snicker behind him, and a grin spreads across his own face. Man, but do they have a good thing going. Dashi loves this, loves just…goofing around with his friends. Even if it is way too late to be awake, even if they don't really have the time to goof off what with Wuya still at large and still wreaking havoc on the world.

…Come to think of it, why were they up this late? It's not really that usual for them to spar this late at night. Dashi stops, brow furrowing. Something's off here.

He turns and leaps, landing lightly on the roof of a nearby building. He climbs up a little bit and crouches down, peering over the top of the roof and into the courtyard. He has a good view of the courtyard from here, and he can hear almost everything said, thanks to the curve of the roof. And so long as they don't look too carefully, Chase and Guan will never know he's there.

As Dashi watches, Chase approaches Guan, kneeling down on the courtyard cobblestones. "Well, we were interrupted, but…did that help?"

The older monk shakes his head. His long, black braid sweeps back and forth across the cobblestones. "It served as a brief distraction, but I am afraid that my thoughts are still very much in turmoil."

Chase sits next to him, settling into the lotus position as well. "Perhaps talking about it would help?" he suggests, and though his face is obscured by shadow, Dashi can hear the concern in his voice. Something cold washes over him. What's going on?

"I do not wish to discuss it any further. I've told you what you need to know, and nothing more."

"But it could be a sign! A vision! Guan, this could be important. If it is so serious that it is bothering you this much-"

"It was just a dream!" Guan snaps, tensing up. "A dream, and nothing more!"

"Then why are you afraid to tell me about it?"

"I am _not_ afraid."

Chase says nothing, but his hand moves slowly, reaching out. He places it on the other monk's arm, and Guan flinches - actually _flinches_. Dashi can hardly believe his eyes.

They're both silent for several minutes after that. Despite Guan's initial reaction, he allows Chase's hand to remain on his arm. However, neither of them make a move to say or do anything. Dashi's about to toss stealth out the window and solve things in his own way when Guan finally speaks.

"I…the dream…in the dream, I found myself standing alone in the midst of a battlefield. I do not remember it all too clearly - there was fire, and smoke, and it was…hard to see. I looked around for you and for Dashi, but I did not see either of you anywhere. And then…" he trails off, seemingly at a loss for words. This is strange. If Dashi didn't know better, he'd think that Guan really _is_ afraid to talk about this dream.

"And then?" Chase presses, leaning in slightly. He turns his head slightly, and the moonlight catches his face, illuminating his concerned expression and wide, worried eyes.

"I heard a scream. And…I did not think. I ran to the source of the scream, but I still did not see anyone. There was a noise behind me. I turned around, and I saw-" he breaks off again, shaking his head. "My apologies, old friend. I cannot continue."

"It was just a dream," Chase insists softly. "And you will not be able to chase its shadows away if you don't let it out. What did you see?"

"I saw you." Guan turns his head to look at Chase, and Dashi can't see his expression at all…but he can hear the pain in his oldest friend's voice, and it cuts like a knife into his own chest. Guan is always so stoic, so calm, so controlled. Dashi has never seen him laid this bare, never seen him so full of pain, and he suddenly feels like he's intruding on something he shouldn't. He's almost tempted to leave, but curiosity and concern for his friend keep him rooted to the rooftop.

"You saw me?"

"I believe so. It was you, but you had…changed. There was a light burning in your eyes that I had never seen before. And you were dressed in armor, battle armor, but unlike any I have ever seen you wear. It was most perplexing. I asked you what was going on, and you did not answer. I asked you again, and you sneered at me. You told me that I was a fool, and that I had brought this upon myself. When I asked you to explain," his voice hitches a little bit, but he presses on, "you pointed to something behind me. I turned, and there, on the ground, was Dashi." Guan bows his head. "He'd been murdered. Brutally so."

Chase gasps, but Dashi barely hears it. Guan had…dreamed of his death? That's…not good. Even if it was just a dream - which Dashi is starting to doubt, really, it doesn't _sound_ like a dream - it's not a good sign.

"I looked back to you and demanded an explanation. You smiled at me and told me that I would get one soon enough. You raised your right hand…but it was not your hand. It could not have been. It was covered in scales and…blood. And…that is all I remember of the dream. I have not been able to sleep since."

The courtyard is silent for several long minutes, and this time Dashi has no desire to interfere. He is frozen to the rooftop, mind reeling with implications and theories. Chase and Guan remain still and quiet, and somewhere in the midst of his scattered thoughts, Dashi notices that Chase's hand still rests on Guan's arm.

Finally, Chase breaks the silence.

"It was only a dream. That's all it could have been. A dream, and nothing more."

"How are you so certain of that?" Guan demands, though his voice remains quiet. "I am certain that it is an omen of some sort. A vision. It was far too vivid to be a mere dream."

"It was only a dream," Chase insists. He moves closer to Guan, moves the hand on his arm to Guan's shoulder and pulls gently, turning Guan to face him. "It could not have been a vision, because I swear to you that I would never become such a monster." The honesty in his voice is raw and rough, and it catches at Dashi's heart, makes it hurt again. He can tell that it has the same effect on Guan, though it seems to be far more intense.

Guan shudders slightly. "You cannot prevent the inevitable, Chase. If this was indeed a vision, it is most likely not preventable. It will happen. No matter what you say."

"No." Chase leans in even closer, his face now only inches away from Guan's. He speaks softly, but with great conviction, and Dashi has to strain a little to hear his next words. "I do not care what it takes. I will not let that dream come to pass. I will do everything within my power to stop it, if it comes to that. I promise you, that dream…that _vision_…it will _never_ come true."

Guan does not stir, does not move away. He remains statue-still, staring at Chase, and their heads are so close together now that Dashi can barely tell them apart. Finally, he speaks, one word, dry and small. "Why?"

Chase laughs, though it is small and sad and sounds almost like a sob. "I'd hoped you'd be able to figure that out for yourself, but it seems that I shall have to show you."

And then he's leaning in, and Guan stiffens in surprise as Chase's lips find his own, and Dashi has to hold himself back from leaping off the rooftop and shouting "HA! I KNEW IT!"

Dashi remains on the rooftop for barely a minute longer, long enough to see that yes, Chase and Guan are definitely kissing, and no, they don't seem to be stopping any time soon. He slides off the rooftop, lands lightly on his feet, and turns to head back toward where he came from. However, he's not planning to get any more sleep tonight, no.

He has a date with the Crystal Glasses, and a vision to prevent.


End file.
